Farm Bureau Work ix New York State for 1914 2149 



HERKIMER COUNTY 



As is no doubt clear to all who have considered the character of the 

 work carried on by the farm bureau, results that can be counted in dollars 

 and cents are bound to come slowh-. We believe that the work of the 

 farm bureau has already been of much financial benefit to the county, 

 but we also believe that its good results will be multiplied many times 

 in the course of a few years, for as time goes by a greater nimiber of farm- 

 ers will carr\- out the practices that our work has shown bring increased 

 profits. 



The manager has attended 43 meetings, practically all of which were 

 held during the winter and the early spring. The farm bureau has listed 

 the names of about 600 men whose farms have been visited during the 

 past two years; many of these farms have been \-isited a ntmiber of times. 

 This is about one-third of the farms of the coimty. Over 500 men have 

 called at the office of the farm bureau manager during 1914. 



LIME 



The use of lime is a practice that has been encouraged by the bureau, 

 and the results so far have more than justified the strongest claims we have 

 made. An acid soil is tmfavorable to the growth of clo\-ers and timothy, 

 and these are among the most important crops gro-^-n in this countv. 

 In the case of timothy, we find that more acres are in timothy than in 

 any other crop grown in the coiinty. The addition of lime to a timothy 

 field that is in an acid condition, will increase the yield of timothy 30 

 per cent. When we consider that one application is sufficient for six 

 3'ears, we find that the cost of liming an acre, about four dollars, is a good 

 investment. In 191 2 about 200 tons of lime were used in Herkimer 

 County. In 19 13 the farm btueau carried on demonstration work in 

 alfalfa, which made necessan,' the use of Hme, and over 600 tons were 

 used during that year. That the farmers of the count}- have found that 

 the use of lime paid them, is proved by the fact that the farm bureau has 

 records of over 2000 tons of ground limestone used in the county this 

 year. The experience of many men who have used lime is that it doubles 

 the gro-w^h of clpvers and alfalfa. 



ALFALFA AXD OTHER LEGUMES 



During 1914 the farm bureau has continued the alfalfa work started 

 in 1 913, and we believe has proved that it is possible to grow alfalfa in 

 Herkimer County on a large scale. 



The four things necessars- for success w'ith alfalfa are good drainage 

 of the soil, fertility, lime, and inoculation. 



Spring seeding has been practiced in the majority of cases, and a nurse 

 crop has generally been used. During the early part of this month a 

 form letter was mailed to about 65 men who seeded alfalfa in 19 13, and 

 replies from 31 of these men have already been received. These 31 men 

 have over 200 acres of successful alfalfa, and we believe that the work of 

 this year will ver>^ greatly increase this total, as the growth of alfalfa 

 during the past season has been ver\^ good. 



Other legumes in which work has been done are vetch and soy beans, 

 and good results have been obtained with these crops. 



